Town Council votes to delay Block Island deer culling operation

BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. — Plans for a professional sharpshooting team to start culling the deer herd on Monday have been officially postponed after the company voiced concerns about potential impediments to its success this winter, including a state law b

BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. — Plans for a professional sharpshooting team to start culling the deer herd on Monday have been officially postponed after the company voiced concerns about potential impediments to its success this winter, including a state law banning the use of firearm noise suppressors.

Town Manager Nancy Dodge said the council, which had reached a consensus on the delay earlier in the week, formally voted on Friday to postpone the operation until next fall or winter.

Dodge said that snowfall, other hunting on the island and the prohibition on the use of suppressors provided a “combination” of factors that led White Buffalo to conclude that its success would be limited this year. Dodge said she hoped that the town could revise its hunting season and that the state could amend its laws on suppressors to allow their use as part of the Block Island operation.